Airtel launches international roaming packs to make incoming calls free

These packs will be available to both postpaid and prepaid customers in a price upto $75 for a month, and has reduced international roaming on data to Rs 3 per MB, from Rs 650/MB.Muntazir Abbas | ETTelecom | Updated: September 28, 2016, 13:23 IST

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel Wednesday rolled out packs that could virtually make incoming calls free on international roaming, for its subscribers who travel overseas.

With the new international roaming packs, customers will have the convenience of carrying their India mobile number wherever they go and stay connected all the time, India’s top carrier in a statement said.

These packs will be available to both postpaid and prepaid customers in a price upto $75 for a month, and has reduced international roaming on data to Rs 3 per MB, from Rs 650/MB.

In addition, Sunil Mittal-driven telco has also cut down charges for calls to India and local in-country calls to Rs 3 per minutes across the US, UK, UAE, Canada and Singapore.

The move is aimed to retain premium customers in the wake of intense competition following a foray of Mukesh Ambani’s telecom arm Reliance Jio Infocomm.

The international roaming or IR packs, according to the company, come with validity for a day, 10 days and 30 days that would give flexibility to consumers to choose one as per their travel plans.

Customers can activate the packs at any time and will be charged only when they actually use it, the telco added.

“The new roaming packs are in line with our commitment to provide our customers a seamless international roaming experience and great value,” Ajai Puri, Director – Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel said.

The number of Indians traveling overseas for leisure and business is growing rapidly, he said, adding that the new IR packs ensure that customers get no bill shocks and have the convenience of always keeping their phones switched on.

In August this year, Bharti Airtel added 7 lakh new subscribers taking its total mobile subscriber base to 257 million, as per data released by industry group Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Separately, RCom initiated contempt proceedings in the apex court against the Department of Telecommunications, blaming it for delaying a spectrum sale that would have enabled dues to be paid to Ericsson and lenders.